Tuesday, 20 June 2017

The Crystal Grotto

Hello

Here we are again as happy as can be. 😊

We're visiting Painshill Park near Cobham and have just crossed the Chinese Bridge and are heading to the Crystal Grotto. Wow! Doesn't that sound amazing. With it being half term, they were running tours inside, what a stroke of luck.

If you zoom into the photos by clicking on them, you'll see the outside is made from limestone which is well weathered, brought to the site from elsewhere.

You can see through the archway over the lake to the other side and can glimpse the crystals hanging down inside, each of the calcite, gypsum, quartz and flourite square crystals were fixed in place by hand.

Let's go in, being careful not to trip over in the dark or touch the crystals. The darkness was all part of the experience.

The tunnel leads into the light filled chamber, where water trickles down creating a magical place, which turns into Santa's grotto at Christmas. Light floods in through the archway overlooking the lake helping the crystals to sparkle. Pieces of coral and shell's decorate the chamber.

There were a few photos showing the restoration and how it was made as well as paintings of the original before it fell into decline and was abandoned.

How spectacular and such a lot of hard work to give all the visitors from the 1700s until now an unexpected and thrilling experience.

Crossing over another bridge, we're now at the head of the lake and ready to see what's round the corner. Next time!